


It's far better to get dirty

by Kuruccha



Category: Gintama
Genre: F/M, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-17
Updated: 2015-06-17
Packaged: 2018-04-04 21:43:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4154049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuruccha/pseuds/Kuruccha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tsukuyo’s gaze remains motionless on the ruins of Yoshiwara. «Back to work» she says, and does not even move a step.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's far better to get dirty

**Author's Note:**

> Missing moment set between episodes 180 and 181 (thus manga chapters 261-262), after the end of Red Spider Arc and before the episode in which Tsukuyo gets drunk. No real spoilers, though it might not have sense without contextualization (not like this fanfiction has any sense, though). I just couldn't get over the fact they hadn't met for all those days, so I let my mind wander.

Rain runs down from roofs on large streams, plummeting over the edge through the spaces left empty by torn gutters. Water has already learnt its way, as if it had traced a pattern in the few months those tiles had seen the sky.

«That’s quite a storm, isn’t it?»

Tsukuyo listens and stands still, one hand raised at face height; her pipe has remained in the folds of her _kimono_ , but old habits die hard.

«It is» she answers the girl, barely moving her head to look at her. She identifies her immediately: she remembers rescuing her, once, in a particularly infamous alley where her companion had dragged her. She hasn’t even memorized his face, though.

Tsukuyo lets her gaze lose again on the pile of burnt wood stacked across the street, still smoking despite the rain. «Are you going home?» she asks.

The courtesan nods; she pulls a pack of cigarettes out of her sleeve, then changes her mind and shoves it back. «What about you? Beginning or end of your shift?»

Tsukuyo lowers her hand, settling the ribbon of her _obi_ ; she then realizes that - maybe for her borrowed clothes - the girl hadn’t recognized her. When she had tried to go out like that for the first time, two days before, she wanted to pass unnoticed; until now, however, she hasn’t had many opportunities to test her disguise. Whether successful or not, however, she doesn’t like the idea of lying; so she ends up telling her the truth.

«It’s just a break.»

«So you’ll have to get back to work soon. No envy» she chuckles.

She greets with an elegant wave of hand; fast as she had come, she’s gone over the edge of the roof, walking with small steps in pouring rain.

Tsukuyo’s gaze remains motionless on the ruins of Yoshiwara. «Back to work» she says, and does not even move a step.

 

 

«That’s quite a storm, isn’t it?»

She would recognize that voice among a thousand others; she doesn’t even need to turn around to see who he is.

«You let the children alone at night?» she asks, and raises her hand again; the lack of her pipe begins to take its toll.

«Left the dog on guard.»

A _kunai_ hits his head.

«Liar. I saw them both on the roofs.»

« _Oi oi_ , seems you have been here for a while.» With one eye she sees the _kunai_ fall and slip over the wall of rain, its tip pointing to the pile of smoking wood. «You should rest.»

«Not just me.»

Gintoki sighs, well aware of the patch still covering his cheek. «Guess trying to change your mind won’t be of any use, then.»

She avoids answering. «Why are you here?»

«We bet on who would have found you first.»

«Seems like you won, then.» Her fingers itches; she wants her pipe back just to blow some more smoke on him.

«You underestimated my abilities on hide and seek» he struts. «Although, to be honest, it hasn’t been easy at all with that white face of yours. _Master level! Super expert!_ »

Her hand runs to her face; with makeup she covered up all the bruises, but under her fingertips the outline of her scar is still vivid.

«You are the one underestimating my abilities to make myself found.»

It’s the first time she looks him in the eyes; his gaze is more serious than she imagined. «Why are you here?» she asks again.

«I think I’ll be able to protect it for a while. Until you rest properly.»

Tsukuyo smiles. «I’m not the only one covered in bandages from head to foot.»

«But I’m the saviour of Yoshiwara, am I not?» he replies, his eyes now turned to the trickle of rain falling from the roof.

In the darkness of that night, silently, she grabs his hand; it’s warm and covered in thin scars, just as she imagined it would. On the tiles, the water is digging a new path.

«Thanks» she says.

Gintoki smiles and returns her hold.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in Italian and then translated into English. No proof-reading, so I'm sorry if some of the sentences look a little odd. (Point me out all of my horrible mistakes, and I'll thank you dearly!)


End file.
